Issue: 18
Youngsters who wish to benefit from Life+ Youth Fund need to submit a preliminary application until 15 June 2007 as a first step in which they briefly describe their project. Financial support and consultancy are provided for the projects that will be selected. Life+ Fund, was established by UNDP and Coca-Cola Turkey in 2005.
An amount of 3 thousand to 30 thousand dollars fund may be required for the projects. Once the project proposals are evaluated according to technical criteria, the project designs that pass the preliminary applications will be announced on 2 July 2007 followed by workshops and trainings on 16 July 2007 with two representatives from each successful project. The 5-day workshops include training on project management, communications and personal development. The project owners will then be able to make their final applications until 10 August 2007. An elective committee will then announce the winner projects on 20 August 2007.
Life+ Youth Programme is worth USD 1.5 million Dollars and has so far funded 22 projects in 19 cities in order to enhance the living standards of socially disadvantaged people. The Life+ Youth Programme anticipates successful initiatives from youth.
The projects supported by Life+ are generally on capacity building, campaigns to raise awareness on a certain issue, advocacy and research and they last for a maximum of 10 months. Those who are eligible to work under the Life+ umbrella are non-profit organisations and groups such as NGOs, Local Agenda 21 Youth Parliaments and student councils of universities and high schools.
During the implementation phase of the projects, Life+ realizes publicity works and conducts regular monitoring of the project. The Life+ Youth Programme also acts as a facilitator during the implementation of the projects in which it ensures that the aims and priorities of the project are in line with the main goals. The programme encourages the participation of youth from every level.
To receive more information on the required documents and forms and Life+ Youth Programme in general go to www.hayataarti.org
Please send any enquiries to info@hayataarti.org
In this regard, the main objective of the mission was to assess, together with the Government and UNDP counterparts, whether the current project design, goals, objectives, components and implementation arrangements are in line with the present policy framework set by the Turkish Government.
Moreover, the mission assessed the overall implementation progress, financial management and procurement procedures, management and coordination, and the agricultural development of the project. In line with the assessment and comments of the IFAD mission, revisions on the project design will be made if necessary.
Sivas-Erzincan Development Project focuses on increasing agricultural productivity and income levels of the rural poor in the less developed parts of Sivas and Erzincan provinces, expanding rural employment opportunities and encouraging individual and group initiatives of smallholders, enhancing social and productive infrastructure, building and strengthening self-sustaining institutions that cater directly to the rural poor and improving the living conditions of the rural poor, especially of women. In this context, in terms of eradicating poverty and promoting gender equality, the project ensures significant progress towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Sivas and Erzincan.
UNDP Turkey responsible for the administration of the project is a key stakeholder and the implementing partner of Sivas Erzincan Rural Development Project with a 30 million USD worth of budget and 7 years of (2007-2012) implementation period.
Youth Post website was created with the joint contributions of UNDP, British Council and GSM-Youth Services Centre to deliver comprehensive information not readily available in any other single website. It offers sources and documents on youth rights and opportunities, about the expectations and needs of young people and how much they are met, about youth activities and projects in different countries, and much more.
The website includes many interest areas such as policies, activities, events, campaigns, programmes, projects, festivals, educational grants, magazines, books and documents specifically concerning youth. In short, it is a bridge of knowledge for and between young people. Activities and events connecting Turkish and international youth are organized under the “Bridge of Knowledge” link.
National Youth Report
“Youth” is the theme of UNDP’s 2007 National Human Development Report. The report will give an overall picture of youth in Turkey. Written by young people themselves, the progress of the National Youth Report can be followed at each step on Youth Post website.
Via this website, young people can contribute their ideas, opinions and essays to be included in the National Report, by writing to the “Youth Column”.
Young messengers
Website has delegated young volunteers to represent the website in 81 towns in Turkey. The volunteers will promote the website and encourage all young people to become a part of this project and contribute to it.
The translations of the published texts are also undertaken by young volunteers. The web pages were designed in such a way as to avail them to visually-impaired people, too.
Through this website, it is hoped to make a little contribution to improving the life quality of people who are going through “the best years of their lives”.
The project that is being implemented jointly with the European Union aims to integrate the sustainable development concept into Turkish sectoral policies in the fields of agriculture, energy, technology and production. In the context of the project, development policies that will be applied to the agriculture, energy, urbanization, information and technology sectors are being designed to determine Turkey’s national sustainable development strategy in the future.
Moreover, in order to realize sustainable development, 23 projects are being supported in 18 provinces in the pilot sectors. NGOs and local authorities are giving their support to these projects. Niyazi İlter, head of Social Physical Infrastructure department at the State Planning Organization General Directorate of Social Sectors and Coordination said: “the private sector understands the importance of sustainable development projects in Turkey”. Project coordinator Atila Uras added that integration of sustainable development into sectoral policies can only be achieved thorugh cooperation among sectors.
The “Integration of Sustainable Development into Sectoral Policies Project” is a continuation of Turkey’s works in the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Summit Action Plan and among the other issues that were discussed in the meeting were pollution, climate change, energy and industrial developments. The meeting continued until 11 May 2007.
The regional activities and new term social responsibility projects were introduced during the 4-days meeting and workshops on youth policies in Turkey, legal framework of UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), human rights, education and internship programs were organised as well as panels on young ideas in politics. In a speech she made, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Ulrika Richardson-Golinski said “youth are key participants in decision-making and development. Engaging youth in decision-making processes through local-level action and advocacy builds not only individual, but institutional and community-wide capacity”.
This year’s general assembly focused on elaborating on the “Localizing the UN Millennium Development Goals in Turkey through the Local Agenda 21 Governance Network” project in which the aim is to strengthen the LA-21 National Youth Parliament for effectively addressing the MDGs at national and local levels. The importance youth, city councils and youth platforms play in accomplishing the MDGs was also stressed throughout the meetings. UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Ulrika Richardson-Golinski stressed that Turkey needed to benefit from this generation’s contributions to national development as well.
The general assembly provided a platform in general where all ideas, concerns and solutions could be discussed for youth-led initiatives.
More on youth councils
Youth councils consist of youth between 15-25 age group such as representatives of youth foundations and associations, representatives of university and high school student councils and youth clubs without any distinction of language, religion, race, culture or gender. The function of youth councils in Turkey is to ensure that youth are represented throughout society, to increase living standards, to realize projects designed by youth and especially for youth, to ensure youth participation in general and their participation into decision-making mechanisms and promote sustainable development. The success of youth councils in Turkey has driven many countries to implement the Turkish model in their own countries.
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“Millennium Development Goals in Turkey: Legal Framework for MDGs and Human Rights” project that is realized in partnership with UNDP, Local Agenda 21 City Councils and Bar Associations of pilot cities aims to link human rights to Turkey’s localizing MDGs program and to implement the MDGs in Turkey into a legal framework.
The project has crucial importance as this is the first time in Turkey in which MDG monitoring will be realized in a normative framework through the active engagements of bar associations. The project is expected to strengthen the Government’s poverty reduction strategies at national and local levels by incorporating the MDG goals in every practice including social inclusion and human rights. In this context UNDP will provide technical assistance and tools for advocacy as well as partnerships at national and international levels. Toolkits will be prepared for citizens and municipalities on the human rights aspects of the MDGs. In her speech at the workshop, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Ulrika Richardon-Golinski stated that the aim was to “explicitly link the practice of human rights promotion to national developmental targets, enshrined in the MDGs and to seek to develop strategies for how legal professionals can be engaged in efforts to promote the MDGs and how Local Agenda 21 partners can be empowered in their efforts by internalizing a Human Rights perspective”.
Although human rights and human development are seen as two different concepts “human freedom” and “dignity” are two important keywords that combine the two concepts together. Human rights can be powerful tools that can help promote the MDGs as they provide a platform for legal changes. Moreover, human rights can empower people in different ways; while the power of law may help reduce people’s vulnerabilities, they can also empower people in claiming their rights. Human rights bring a sharper focus on justice in human development and bring new mechanisms for empowering the disadvantaged. As the 2000 Human Development Report quite appropriately indicates: “Human rights and human development are close enough in motivation and concern to be congruous and compatible, and they are different enough in strategy and design to supplement each other fruitfully”.
How can Local Agenda 21 help to promote localizing MDGs in Turkey?
Local Agenda 21 consists of City Councils that each include municipalities, women and youth parliaments, deputies, governors, foundations and associations, universities, syndicates etc who all work for the promotion of participation, democracy, capacity building, transparency and sustainable development by encouraging the civil society.
Kosovo is one of the provinces with the youngest population in Europe. Half the population in Kosovo is under 25 years old which necessatitates the focus on young people more than ever. Youth represents the future for any country; however, the current political situation and the current transition phase in Kosovo has made it difficult for youth to blend in with the community without having any fears or uncertainties regarding the future. In the light of these facts the 2006 Kosovo Human Development Report aims to highlight youth’s role in the future thus encouraging them to participate more actively in the society as well as in decision-making mechanisms.
The report starts by giving general information on youth in Kosovo and indexes that show the links between education and entering into the work force and continues to examine education opportunities such as pre-university education as well as the higher education system for youth in a more detailed way. Following issues on youth education, the report evaluates the current situation of youth in crossing from school to work. The report underlines the fact that transition from school to work is not realized in an efficient way in Kosovo and recommends smoother methods to make the transition easier such as vocational schools that create job opportunities in all fields. Finally the report concentrates on the importance of youth participation into the society, democracy, political life and other decision-making mechanisms. Unfortunately, in Kosovo, youth participation in NGOs, politics, decision-making mechanisms and other social issues is minimal.
The report understands the importance youth plays in society in lifting economic and political barriers thus contributing to social development and makes recommendations accordingly. The report supports government institutions to work together in programs that will increase job opportunities for youth thus making them less dependant on their families and suggests that all institutions should work together to encourage youth to take part and contribute in the development of Kosovo. As the report quite appropriately puts it: “Engaging young people meaningfully is only possible if they feel hopeful about their educational and employment prospects”.
The 2006 Kosovo Human Development Report is a product of 18 months of consultations with focus groups, students, NGOs, youth forum representatives from political parties, parents, unemployed individuals, artists, civil servants, minority groups as well as politicians, journalists and the business community. 1200 individuals between 15-29 were surveyed and seven workshops were formed during the preparation period of the report.
UNDP Turkey Resident Representative Mahmood Ayub said: “Global Compact has become the world’s largest Corporate Social Responsibility initiative since its announcement in 2000. In Turkey, there is also a significant growth of the UN Global Compact, with the participation of big conglomerates like Doğuş. This is a good sign of strong commitment and acknowledgement of the participants to improve the conditions in Turkey to match the internationally accepted norms on social responsibility and corporate citizenship.”
CEO of Doğuş Group Hüsnü Akhan on the other hand said: “Bringing together the Turkish private sector around the 10 principles of the United Nations thus acting in coordination and applying these principles to business models is very important for Turkey to integrate to the globalized world”.
The Global Compact that was officially launched in 2000 is a voluntary international corporate citizenship network that brings together the private and the public business sectors as well as various UN agencies and the civil society to meet the challenges of globalization. The Global Compact operates around ten principles in the fields of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption in order to put an end to discrimination of work force and to increase environmental sustainability. The signatories of the Global Compact integrate these ten principles into their business strategies for transparency and sustainable development and prepare regular reports on their stance. Today Global Compact has over 3 thousand 800 participants in 100 countries.
In Turkey, stakeholders from the public and private sectors such as Koç Holding, Eczacıbaşı Holding and more than 60 SMEs as well as labour representatives and various NGOs had signed UN’s Global Compact, which was initiated in October 2002 in Turkey.
Today, the signing of UN’s Global Compact is an index for a company’s social responsibility and awareness towards the rest of the world.
The meeting brought together various governments and NGOs as well as representatives from the private and public sector and was realized under the auspices of Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture.
As international trade continues to constitute an important part of globalization, new technologies and techniques are designed to compensate for the increasing demands of developed countries. While growing needs of dynamic economies due to tight supply capacities and tense geopolitical conditions have helped some countries in Africa to grow out of their economic stagnation, for many other countries the situation has only brought new challenges and problems. Today, commodities and especially agricultural products account for more than half of all export income in 86 developing countries. Unfortunately these countries do not and can not benefit from the gains of their own commodities as much as other rising economies as they are often at a disadvantage in price negotiations against large corporations and mostly uninformed of developments. Increased demands mean increased production which should theoretically mean increased profits but the unbalanced distribution of profits end up in higher markets where they are commercialized leaving commodity-dependent countries in a state of poverty as they cannot use profits to improve their own economies.
The “Global Initiative on Commodities” Conference that was held in Brazil aimed to find solutions for such problems in which the participants discussed the measures that need to be taken at national and international levels such as new financing methods and changes in policies. The problems that led agricultural producers to lose their gains were addressed as inadequate infrastructure such as transportation, lack of storing facilities and loans, low productivity due to a fallback from technological developments and lack of other support services. The importance of dynamic economies including strategies to eradicate poverty was emphasized. Some of the points that were brought up to increase awareness on this situation were:
Bearing in mind that the world is at a mid-point for the 2015 deadline for realizing the UN MDGs, the Conference in Brazil played a key role in addressing matters of poverty reduction and global partnership. During the meeting the governments were represented by senior officials and problems for all commodities including agriculture, fisheries and forestry except for oil were discussed.
The study, which comprises a comprehensive trade flow analysis in order to identify priority products and services having an intra-regional investment and trade potential in Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), indicates that the total business potential for Turkish enterprises in the BSEC region is estimated around USD$ 110 billion.
The programme is expected to promote regional economic development, develop trade and investment linkages between BSEC Member States with positive impact on the reduction of poverty and offer improved dialogue among countries with political tensions. Increased trade and investment links will be generated with the private sector of the region and new partnerships will be developed with business support organizations. The beneficiaries of the programme will be small and medium enterprises, and special emphasis will be given to enterprises managed by young and women entrepreneurs. The programme will be implemented in cooperation with local chambers of commerce and business support organizations.
National business support organizations in each of the BSEC country will be assigned the role of national focal point for the implementation of activities of the BSTIP. Indeed, the success of the Programme will depend critically on the active involvement of the business community in all BSEC Member States. At the same time, the BSTIP will provide opportunity to create capacity within the business support institutions of the sub region to take advantage of the sub-regional trade and investment expansion opportunities on a permanent and sustainable basis.
The Black Sea Trade and Investment Promotion Programme is co-financed by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance, UNDP and BSEC. It is the first programme jointly co-financed by the Government of Turkey and Greece under the auspices of UNDP and is also the first partnership project between UNDP and BSEC.
UNDP and BSEC will strengthen their parnership with the signature of an Agreement of Cooperation during a summit on 25th June in Istanbul to mark the 15th anniversary of BSEC, which also coincides with the current Turkish Chairmanship of BSEC. Sharing his views regarding the agreement, UNDP Resident Representative Mahmood Ayub said: “The signing of this Agreement will contribute to a more enabling environment for UNDP and BSEC, in partnership with other partners, to further pursue the promotion and implementation of regional projects as a means for regional cooperation and development”.
The Black Sea Economic Cooperation was established to create a unified regional economic regime in June 1992. The Organization has 12 member states today including Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.